Some black pastors don't stand with President Obama on same-sex marriage

Protesters gathered at a rally in favor of same-sex marriage earlier this year.

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) - Tuesday, members of The Coalition of African American Pastors announced they are launching a national campaign opposing same-sex marriage.

Since numbers show that many black Americans tend to vote Democratic, WECT.com wanted to know what black churches in area thought about President Obama and the many Democrats supporting same-sex marriage.

Rev. Dr. James Jamison, Jr. with Hope Baptist Church for All Nations said that he's against gay marriage, but he's not trying to discriminate. He says that he's just referring to the Bible.

"As a Christian pastor, you have to say what the Bible says," he said. "We don't validate the Bible; we don't write the Bible. Some of us are not what we really should be, and some of us might be gay. But we still have to say what the Bible says."

According to Jamison, President Obama and other Democrats supporting same-sex marriage put pastors in a tough spot.

"Now, we have to explain how we're going to, in one breath, tell them to support a person we think is best for us," said Jamison. "But at the same time explain, he has flaws in his character, which is something we do anyway."

Despite not seeing eye-to-eye with President Obama, Jamison and other black pastors believe the president's stance won't hurt support, but will hurt enthusiasm come this November.

"I was not for Obama because he's black," said Jamison. "I was for him because I thought he was right. Now that he's wrong in an area very important to me, I'm having trouble supporting him. But I'm in the position now, I'm dealing with Satan and the devil. Either way, I'm going to catch it. Because I'm not for Romney, and not voting is really a yes vote. So I guess I'll stick with Obama."

Jamison saysthat when it comes to gay marriage, he believes the church is losing ground on the issue.

Many local pastors tells say that when it comes to voting in November, they hope church members consider all issues -- not just same-sex marriage.